I'll Be Missing You
by xoxolovebug
Summary: The team mourns the loss of a beloved member, a friend. Post Twilight


Tony couldn't move. He stood there, staring at Kate's body in horror and shock. Gibbs spoke into his COM link.

"We need backup and assistance. We have an agent down. I repeat, we have an agent down." Gibbs paused, then tapped on his headset.

"McGee! Did you hear me?" There was a crackle of static, then McGee replied.

"Who was it?" Gibbs sighed.

"Kate. Ari shot her with a sniper rifle." McGee sucked in his breath, making the COM link crackle.

"Is…is she..."

"Bullet through the forehead," Gibbs said bluntly. "I don't hear you calling for that ambulance, McGee."

"On it, boss." Gibbs turned to Tony.

"Wait for the ambulance, Dinozzo." Gibbs took out his gun. "I'm going after the bastard." He started towards the stairs, ignoring Tony's protests.

"I'll be fine, Dinozzo." Gibbs stopped, then turned back.

"Don't move her," he warned, then disappeared down the stairs.

Tony sighed and sat beside Kate's body, waiting for the ambulance.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime to Tony, but were probably only 10 or 15 minutes, he heard the sirens. Jumping up, he ran to the sided of the building and waved at McGee. A minute later, Tony heard footsteps.

"What happened?" an EMS worker asked, lifting Kate's body onto a stretcher.

"Sniper rifle," Tony answered. The EMS worker spoke into his walkie talkie.

"We got a Caucasian female, 28, bullet wound." He turned to Tony.

"Will you be going with her in the ambulance, sir?" Tony just nodded, his eyes not straying from the stretcher, as if Kate would suddenly blink, or just…move. But she lay perfectly still, her eyes still staring. Tony climbed into the ambulance, which sped towards the hospital.

"We have a DOA," Tony heard the intercom crackle. His stomach turned at the words. DOA. Dead On Arrival. She was really dead. Tony didn't want to believe it. The EMS workers transferred the stretcher onto a bed and sped towards the operating room. He sank down into one of the chairs in the waiting room, but only for a second, then he stood up and strode purposefully towards the room where Kate lay.

"This body is now under investigation, and the property of NCIS." When the doctor turned to protest, Tony flashed his badge. Kate used to tease him about how much he liked flashing his badge.

Tony stared down at Kate's body. He gently took on her ice-cold hands in his. Then, for the first time since they were on the roof, Tony cried.

…

Later, they took the body back to NCIS headquarters. Tony took her down to Ducky's lab and gently placed her on one of the tables.

"Anthony?" When Tony turned around, Ducky took one look at his face and knew.

"Jethro?" Tony shook his head, then stepped to the side so Ducky could look at the body.

"Oh, God. Caitlin." Ducky examined the bullet wound on Kate's forehead.

"I'm so sorry you had to go this way, Caitlin," he said softly. Then Ducky heard a sob from behind him. Turning around, he saw the tears running down Tony's face.

"Why Anthony, I dare say you cared for Kate." Tony stiffened at the past tense.

"Care. I care about Kate, and I always will," he said coldly.

"Well, why don't you tell her?" Ducky gestured to the bed.

"But…she's…" Tony choked up. Ducky looked at him pointedly.

"Oh. Right." Tony took a deep breath and walked up to the bed.

"Well, Kate, this is kind of hard for me to say, but…I love you." Kate just stared. Tony rushed on. "And even though I liked to annoy you a lot, I just want you to know…what you did, back there on the roof, jumping in front of that bullet…now I know why you used to protect the President."

"That was beautiful, Anthony." Ducky smiled.

"Thanks, Ducky."

"Hey, Ducky, what do we got this time?" Abby suddenly appeared in the doorway, grinning.

"Abigail…we…" Abby put her hands on her hips and glared at Ducky.

"Don't call me…" Her words trailed off when she saw the look on Ducky's face.

"What's wrong?" She turned to Tony and put one hand over her mouth. "Tony…how'd you get blood on her face?"

"It was nothing, Abs," Tony lied, cutting in before Ducky could say anything.

"So, do we have nay personals that I can poke and prod and do my analysis on?" Abby grinned. "You said it was a sniper victim. Ari?" Ducky nodded.

"Thought so. So, anything?" Abby pushed past ducky and Tony, who had stepped in front of the table to form a sort of human shield.

"Oh, my God," they heard Abby whisper. "Kate." Tony caught Abby, who had spun around and fell into his chest. He wrapped his arms around Abby as she cried.

"You know what the last words I ever said to her were?" Abby sniffled. "I never cry. Never, ever, ever. And the next time I see her, she's…and I'm…"

Tony let go of Abby. Ducky sighed.

"Caitlin was always kind and caring to everyone. Even you, Anthony," Ducky added when Tony shot him a look. "In her own way, teasing you was a sign of affection. Your teasing was, too."

"Yeah, but now I can't even tell her how I really feel," Tony protested.

"Well, you'll see her in the afterlife. Or maybe she'll be reincarnated." Abby tried to smile, but failed.

"Huh?" Tony looked confused.

"That's where your spirit or soul gets put into another body," Abby explained.

"No, no, I know, but how do I know it's Kate? How will I know it's her if I see her or pass her on the street?" Tony still looked confused.

"If you love her, really love her, like I know you do, then you'll know when you see her." Abby said wisely.

"I love her," Tony said softly, half to himself.

"Love who, Dinozzo?" Gibbs walked in slowly.

"No one, boss." Tony hurried over to Gibbs and helped him into a chair. "Ari?"

"Dead."

"Good. Bastard." Gibbs stared at Tony, surprised at his outburst. Tony looked away nervously.

They all looked up as McGee walked into the lab.

"Is she…Kate…is she…"

"She's dead, McGee." Gibbs snapped, standing suddenly. A second later, he sat back down again, his face in his hands. Abby started to cry softly again. Tony just stood there, looking helpless.

"I let a member of my team die," Gibbs said, his words muffled.

He stood up and limped slowly over to the table where Kate lay. Abby joined him a minute later. She stood beside him, her arm looped through his. McGee stood on the other side of Gibbs, Ducky beside him. Finally, Tony walked up beside Abby and gently put his arm around her shoulders comfortingly.

Then, the team mourned a loss of a member. But Kate was more than a team member. She was a friend, a confidante, a love.


End file.
